OBJECTIVETo investigate the characteristics for activated coagulation factor VII(F VIIa) and the R353Q, -323 0/10 bp, HVR4 polymorphisms in the gene in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and myocardial infarction from Ningxia Hui and Han populations.

METHODSFour hundred and twenty angiographically proven CHD patients in the Hui population, and 508 healthy blood donors were tested for their plasma levels of coagulation factor VII using recombinant tissue factor method. The coagulation factor VII gene R353Q, -323 0/10 bp and HVR4 genotypes were identified by polymerase chain reaction. In addition, 600 Han patients with CHD and 604 healthy Han control subjects were also investigated.

RESULTS(1) The plasma F VIIa levels was significantly higher in patients with CHD and myocardial infarction than that in healthy control subjects and angor pectoris (P<0.01) in both Hui and Han populations. (2) There were significant differences in the distribution of genotypes and allelic frequencies of the R353Q between myocardial infarction and angor pectoris disease in the Hui population (P<0.05). So was the -323 0/10 bp locus in both the Hui and Han population. (3) The F VIIa level was significantly higher in individuals with RR genotype than those of Q allele carriers in the Hui population.

CONCLUSIONThere are polymorphisms of the F VII gene R353Q, -323 0/10 bp and HVR4 in the Hui and Han populations. The Q allele might be a protective factor against myocardial infarction in the Hui, and the plasma F VIIa level may be influenced by the R353Q polymorphism of the F VII gene. The 10 allele may be a protective factor against myocardial infarction in both the Hui and Han populations.